


Happy Ending: Earned

by ShadeOps21



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Not gonna spoil it, birthday fic, fluffy goodness, you'll have to see inside
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 19:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20662838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeOps21/pseuds/ShadeOps21
Summary: They say you have to work hard to earn your happy ending.All things considered, both Lion and Thatcher have more than earned theirs.





	Happy Ending: Earned

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).

> This is a birthday gift to a much loved friend of mine who honestly doesn't get enough credit for all the effort and hard work that she puts in. I'm sure I speak on behalf of all of us (you know who we are) when I say thank you, and more importantly, Happy Birthday!

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so nervous, not even before an op.”

“Nearly forty years of active duty, countless combat deployments and operations, faced death on a regular basis, and it’s only  _ now _ that you’re getting the shakes?”

“Bugger off, will ya?” Mike said with a scowl as he fixed up his bowtie for what must’ve been the twentieth time in five minutes. He shot a glare to the peanut gallery behind him, made up of who he considered his close friends within the SAS and RAINBOW: Seamus Cowden and Adriano Martello.

His two picks for groomsmen, though he wished for his brother to be there as well. Alas, he was in the middle of an extended fishing up, and wouldn’t be able to make it back in time.

Then again, Paulie was present when he married his ex-wife all those years ago, and look how well  _ that _ turned out… maybe it was for the best if his brother wasn’t present after all.

“I never thought I’d see the day the uncatchable Mike Baker walk down the aisle again,” Seamus continued, amused with how his closest friend was reacting.

Adriano chuckled, “Soon enough we’ll see him in the rec room with slippers and robe on, crossword in his lap, waiting for his dear Olivier to return home from- _ ooof-” _ He sputtered as a well-aimed seat cushion impacted him square in the face, sending Seamus into hysterics.

“I  _ said _ , bugger off,” Mike half-threatened, a smile struggling to break through his harsh expression as he turned to look at his two groomsmen. “I’m this close to sending you through that wall.”

Adriano looked over to said wall that Mike was pointing to, and smirked, “And risk ruining the day?”

“I never wanted a big fancy-pants service in a church,” Mike corrected, looking back at the mirror, “But Olivier’s a firm Catholic, and wanted a service in a church. Given how much he’s done over his life, the least I can do is give him back this much.”

“Bit ironic that two guys are getting married in a church for a religion that’s staunchly anti-homosexuality,” Seamus observed. Mike simply chuckled at the remark.

“I just think that’s a little bit of his rebellious nature from his early life sneaking through, a small middle finger to his past.”

“No better way to do it, though it’s a shame you couldn’t get a Catholic priest to officiate,” Seamus agreed, checking his watch. “Well, a minute to go. You ready to walk your last steps of freedom?”

“Mate, I’m still free to do whatever I like, I’ll just have Olivier by my side.”

* * *

"Touch that cufflink again and I’ll shock you with my drone, Oli,” Emmanuelle said as she swatted at Olivier’s fidgety hands, “You know I will.”

“And ruin today for me?” He shot back with a smirk, making the woman roll her eyes briefly.

“I doubt that a taser in the rear would leave that much of an impact,” Gilles said quietly, chuckling when both Olivier and Emma turned to look at the man, “I mean, you’ve admitted that you enjoy the rougher side of Baker after all.”

Both of them started laughing as their friend flushed bright red and tried to stammer a response, however Olivier’s saving grace arrived in the form of a red-headed Israeli angel. “Come on you two, leave the man alone. What he plans to get up with Baker on his honeymoon is completely his business.” Or so he thought, as the pair erupted into more laughs.

“I’m glad that I’d never considered you as a potential groomsmaid,” Olivier muttered out, to which Eliza simply laughed off.

“You’d never get me to pull off the bridal dress look,” she said back with a smirk, arms crossed over her chest.

Emma hummed in thought and shot a conspiratorial glance over to Olivier, “I don’t know… I mean, Jordan would have no problem pulling off the dress if you ask me.”

Eliza rolled her eyes playfully, “Oh ha-ha-ha, very funny… hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, who’s taking who’s name?” She directed towards Olivier.

“Mike’s keeping his, but I’m hyphenating mine with his: Flament-Baker… Oh, it feels weird to say it aloud like that.”

Eliza simply smiled, then turned back to where a few more of the unit were stood nearby within earshot, “Hey, spread the word, all of you owe me ten bucks each!”

“Wait,” Olivier frowned, looking over to see Emma pouting disappointedly and Gilles fishing through his jacket for his wallet, “You were betting on the name?”

“What else?” Ash answered simply, “All had a pool together, though I was the only one who said you’d go with two names and Baker would stay as Baker. He’s a stubborn man, I’m surprised no-one else agreed with me.”

“You know, I can’t argue with that logic…” he glanced up to the clock on the wall and took a deep calming breath. “Almost time… is it bad that I want time to slow down and speed up simultaneously?”

“It’ll be over before you know it, Oli,” reassured Emma. “Then you and Mike can go take some much earned and well deserved time away.”

“Just try not to get involved with any drug cartels while you’re ‘on leave’,” Gilles added with a chuckle and a side glance at Emma, who shoved him lightly on the shoulder.

“Shut up so we can go get Olivier married.”

* * *

The gathered audience of special forces soldiers and tactical law enforcement officers all rose when the organ started playing the entrance music, all turning to watch the two pairs of grooms people walk down the aisle and take their places on either side of the minister before Mike and Olivier made their way down to the altar side by side.

Most of RAINBOW were in attendance (with only a handful of the team stayed back at the base to maintain some semblance of a response team) with a few additional extra guests, like former ‘Six’ Aurelia Arnot, current ‘Six’ Harry and his wife.

When everyone took their seats, the minister began his spiel, though neither Mike or Lion really cared to listen to him in great detail. Their attention and focus was fixed on their respective partner, soon to be husband, and how much they had to look forward to for the rest of their respective lives.

“... and now, the vows.” Both men were quick to snap their attention back into the real world, and Olivier quickly fished out a small piece of paper from his pocket before glancing up at Mike and taking a quick calming breath.

“Mike… I’ll gladly admit that our first handful of interactions together were nothing short of disastrous. The person I was back then was arrogant and abrasive, and not a person that I was ever truly happy being. But over the years, especially once I got to find my feet again within RAINBOW, and got to know you better both professionally and personally, I’ve grown into a man that I could only once aspire to be. I still find myself amazed that you asked me to be yours something short of a miracle, as I never thought I’d be able to truly love again. So I vow to you to never stop loving you for as long as I live.”

Behind him, Emma and Gilles both had to discreetly wipe a few tears out of their eyes as Olivier hurriedly put away the sheet of paper. Mike simply smiled at his husband-to-be, humbled by Olivier’s words and the emotion in his voice. Once everyone else had gathered themselves, Mike began his own. However, he didn’t need a sheet of paper. This was something he’d long since rehearsed.

“Well… like a few others here, I never thought I’d see myself at an altar again, at least not as the groom. Maybe as a groomsman for one of friends or for someone within our unit, but never as the altar. Yet, here you are, proving me wrong once again Olivier. You said it yourself; our first meetings weren’t the greatest. And like you said, you were a right prick back then,” he had to stop as a fair section of their audience started to laugh quietly. To his relief, even Olivier chuckled softly, “but so was I. You and I aren’t so different, truth be told. We’ve both got our fair share of demons tucked away that shaped us to be the way we were, but together, we’ve both improved. With what you’ve taught me over our relationship thus far, you’re the clear exception to the rule that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks… and I’m more than willing and happy to keep learning with you there to teach me.”

The pair let their vows settle before they each sent a small nod towards the minister, who cleared his throat quietly before looking between the pair of them. “And now, with the vows exchanged: do you, Olivier Flament, take Michael Baker to be your husband, promising to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him forevermore?”

“I do,” Olivier answered firmly, a smile fighting to form on his face.

“And do you, Michael Baker, take Olivier Flament to be your husband, promising to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him forevermore?”

“I do,” Mike said resolutely, a tear threatening to run down his face.

The two men exchanged their rings, handed to them by Emma and Seamus respectively, and repeated his words verbatim as the rings settled onto their fingers.

“And now, by the power vested in me by the governing body of our United Kingdom, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and husband. Go forth and live each day to the fullest. And you may now kiss your husband.”

The audience erupted in a mixture of applause and polite laughter as Olivier pulled Mike forward, catching the man by surprise as the former dipped him into a loving and passionate kiss. They held it for what felt like an eternity, before Olivier finally lifted away and helped Mike back upward.

“You cocky lil’ shit…”

"You know you loved it... come on, we've got a life to share together."


End file.
